Kabir Couplets

Introduction

Sant Kabir in 1440, Jaunpur, India born be,

Who expired in 1518 AD, at Maghar finally;

Admired by Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs surely,

Kabir a radical Indian poet-saint was clearly;

Kabīr Das an Indian mystic poet and saint be,

His works influenced Bhakti movement greatly,

As a Muslim his childhood life started early,

Influenced by Hindu ascetic, Ramananda be;

Kabir critical of Hindus and Muslims both be,

Regarding them parallel to one another plainly;

What counted for Kabir, immortal life truth be,

Deathless truth of life on which his writings be;

This he linked with all religion, sects equally;

With labels of Allah or Ram - Hindu divinity;

Kabir’s poetic personality variously defined be;

By the religious traditions that revere him truly;

For Sikhs a precursor, interlocutor of Nanak be,

Muslims a Sufi, Hindus a Vaishnavee devotee;

His is found in early North Indian anthologies,

In the bhakti, devotional poetry unmistakably;

Sant Kabir Das advocated a Karmic society,

He forerunner of the awakening era did be,

He as true world lover, experienced unfailingly,

He the Guru - in the field of ‘practice’ does be.

Kabir Couplets कबीरा दोहावली

अ

अंतर यही बिचारिया, साखी कहो कबीर।

भौ सागर में जीव है, सुनि कै लागे तीर॥

Kabir, think of what is inside, about its form actually,

Soul in this worldly sea, can cross on hearing it only.

1

अंदेसड़ा न भाजिसी, सदैसो कहियां।

के हरि आयां भाजिसी, कैहरि ही पास गयां॥

Sending messages, my thought not that of going,

Either my Lord comes or I to the Lord be going.

2

अंदेसो नहीं भाग्सि, संदेसो नही आये।

कयी हरि आया भाग सो, कयी हरि के पासे जाये॥

Doubts do not go and no counselling is coming,

Doubt and grief departs when I to Him be nearing.

3

अंधे मिलि हाथी छुवा, अपने अपने ज्ञान।

अपनी अपनी सब कहै, किस को दीजय कान॥

Blinds touch elephant, tell as sense preserved be,

All stating their own, who should then believe be.

4

अंधो का हाथी सही, हाथ टटोल-टटोल।

आखोँ से नहीं देखिया, ताते विन-विन बोल॥

Elephant known to the blind, by groping in dark only,

To know Him you need eyes of a different kind truly.

5

अकथ कथा या मन की, कहै कबीर समुझाय।

जो याको समझा परै, ताको काल ना खाय॥

The mind has infinite tales, Kabir states admiringly,

Who understands it, death does not consume truly.

6

अकथ कहानी प्रेम की, कुछ कही न जाए।

गूंगे केरी सरकारा, बैठे मुस्काए॥

Inexpressible love’s story, not revealed by words be,

As dumb eating sweet smiles, sweetness not told be.

7

अखियां तो झैन परि, पंथ निहार निहार।

जीव्या तो छाला पारया, राम पुकार पुकार॥

Darkness surrounds eyes, watching path incessantly,

My tongue is blistered by calling Sri Ram relentlessly.

8

अखियां प्रेम कसैया, जीन जाने दुखदै।

राम सनेहि कारने, रो-रो रात बिताई॥

Eyes redden weeping, not due to disease clearly,

Due to love of Ram, all night weeping incessantly.

9

अजार धन अतीत का, गिरही करै आहार।

निशचय होयी दरीदरी, कहै कबीर विचार॥

Who consuming the donated wealth of ascetic be,

Kabir pondering says it is certain to cause poverty,

10

अटकी भाल शरीर में तीर रहा है टूट।

चुम्बक बिना निकले नहीं कोटि पटन को फ़ूट॥

Broken arrow is stuck, it carrage in body does be,

Not rid without magnet, as filth fate fall in rebirths be.

11

अति का भला न बोलना, अति की भली न चूप।

अति का भला न बरसना, अति की भली न धूप॥

It is not good to speak or be quiet excessively,

As is not good, rain nor sun flowing profusely.

12

अति हठ मत कर बाबरे, हठ से बात ना होये।

ज्यों ज्यों भीजे कामरी, त्यों त्यों भारी होये॥

Be not obstinate dear, nothing got by obstinacy

As blanket when wet, becomes even more heavy.

13

अनमांगा उत्तिम कहा, मध्यम मांगि जु लेय।

कहै कबीर निकृस्ट सो, पर घर धरना देय॥

Getting without asking best, on demand good be,

Kabir say to get if pickets others house, it worst be.

14

अनमांगा तो अति भला, मांगि लिया नहि दोश।

उदर समाता लेय, निश्चय पाबै मोक्ष॥

Great to get without asking, to demand not bad be,

If demanding to satisfy hunger, sure to liberated be.

15

अनराते सुख सोवना, राते नींद न आय।

यों जल छूटी माछरी, तलफत रैन बिहाय॥

Devoid of God’s pleasure content not asleep be,

As fish out of water, he spends nights restlessly.

16

अन्तर्यामी एक तुम, आत्मा के आधार।

जो तुम छोड़ो हाथ तो, कौन उतारे पार॥

You the all knowing, base of the soul but surely be,

If You leave the hand, who’ll help cross worldly sea.

17

अपना तो कोई नहीं, देखा ठाोकि बजाय।

अपना अपना क्या करे, मोह भरम लिपटाय॥

None are mine, this I know after verifications many,

Why say mine repeatedly, engulfed in delusion only.

18

अपना तो कोई नहीं, हम काहु के नाहि।

पार पंहुचि नाव जब, मिलि सब बिछुरै जाहि॥

No one is mine and I not of anybody do be,

Once the boat reaches shore, all seperated be.

19

अपने पहरै जागीये ना परि रहीये सोय।

ना जानो छिन एक मे, किसका पहिरा होय॥

Awake this hour, the time not for sleeping be,

None knows which second, whose time it be.

20

अपने-अपने साख की, सब ही लीनी भान।

हरि की बात दुरन्तरा, पूरी ना कहूँ जान॥

All for self want, credit of knowing actually,

Lord knowledge is rare, none know totally.

21

अब तो जूझै ही बनै, मुरि चलै घर दूर।

सिर सहिब को सौपते, सोंच ना किजैये सूर॥

It better to fight, if you turn His house very far be,

Be brave, surrender to Lord, you’ll not repent truly.

22

अबरन कों का बरनिये, भोपै लख्या न जाइ।

अपना बाना वाहिया, कहि-कहि थाके भाइ॥

How to define indefinable, see who unseen by eye be,

All show Him in their guise, tire stating His change truly.

23

अबिनासि की सेज पर केलि करे आनंद।

करहे कबीर वा सेज पर बिलसत परमानंद॥

On God’s bed, playing with delight, is the devotee,

Kabir says on that bed he gets total joy luxuriously.

24

अबुध सुबुध सुत मातु पितु, सबहि करै प्रतिपाल।

अपनी और निबाहिये, सिख सुत गहि निज चाल॥

Parents protect both wise or foolish children equally,

Guru within his limitation, protects students similarly.

25

अर्घ कपाले झूलता, सो दिन करले याद।

जठरा सेती राखिया, नाहि पुरुष कर बाद॥

You remember when your head upside down did be,

Safely in womb by Him, yet not remember Him sadly.

26

अवगुन कहूँ शराब का, आपा अहमक साथ।

मानुष से पशुआ भया, दाम गाँठ से खात॥

What to state of liquor ills, as giving fool company,

Selling humans and animals, for filling belly wholly.

27

अस्ट सिद्धि नव निधि लौ सब ही मोह की खान।

त्याग मोह की वासना, कहै कबीर सुजान॥

All eight success, nine virtues, delusion mine be,

Kabir says reject the longings of delusions completely..

28

अहं अग्नि निशि दिन जरै, गुरुन सो चाहे मान।

ताको जम न्योता दिया, होउ हमार मेहमान॥

Ego fire ignites daily, wanting guru’s recognition truly,

So that when invitation comes, as his guest but be.

29

अहिरन की चोरी करै, करै सुई की दान।

उॅचे चढ़ि कर देखता, केतिक दूर बिमान॥

People steal iron and donate needle plainly,

Then expect to be flown to heaven loftily.

30

आंखि ना देखे बापरा, शब्द सुनै नहि कान।

सिर के केश उजल भये, आबहु निपत अजान॥

Foolish not see with eyes, nor hear with ears clearly,

Hairs have grayed but he still remains ignorant totally.

31

आंखो देखा घी भला, ना मुख मेला तेल।

साधु सोन झगरा भला, ना साकुत सोन मेल॥

Ghee good even to see, oil not even to taste be,

Quarrel with sage good, wicked interface bad be.

32

आंधी आयी ज्ञान की, ढ़ाहि भरम की भीति।

माया टाटी उर गयी, लागी राम सो प्रीति॥

When the wisdom storms, walls of doubt tumbling be,

Misbelief veils are blown when Lord’s love flowing be.

33

आकार राजा दशरथ का बेटा।

निराकार घट घट में बैठा॥

Form - son of King Dashrath does be,

Formless in every place resident truly.

34

आग जो लागी समुद्र में, धुआँ न प्रकट होय।

सो जाने जो जरमुआ, जाकी लाई होय॥

With the ocean ablaze, smoke manifests not,

Who gets burnt knows, that heat his thought.

35

आग लगि संसार में, झारि-झारि परे संसार।

कबीरा जलि कंचन भया, कंच भया संसार॥

The world is on fire, all over world the sparks falling,

Kabir is gold with burning but world is glass melting.

36

आगि आंच सहना सुगम, सुगम खडग की धार।

नेह निबाहन एक रस महा कठिन ब्यवहार॥

To bear blaze of fire is easy, blade of sword easy be,

To maintain unflinching love, difficult in dealings be.

37

आगे अंधा कूप में, दूजे लिया बुलाय।

दोनों बूडछे बापुरे, निकसे कौन उपाय॥

In front in dark well, called the other actually,

Both rushed foolishly, escape what plan be.

38

आगे पीछे हरि खरा, आप समहारे भार।

जन को दुखी क्यों करे, समरथ सिरजन हार॥

God standing in front and back, takes burden fully,

Why He troubles others, when the God is Almighty.

39

आछे / पाछे दिन पाछे गए हरी से किया न हेत।

अब पछताए होत क्या, चिडिया चुग गई खेत॥

Days now gone, with Lord true love missing be

Useless to repent, after seeds pecked by birds be.

40

आज कहै मैं कल भजूँ, काल फिर काल।

आज काल के करत ही, औसर जासी चाल॥

Today I defer for tomorrow stalling unendingly,

Losing in this life, the actual life’s opportunity.

41

आज काल के बीच में, जंगल होगा वास।

ऊपर ऊपर हल फिरै, ढोर चरेंगे घास॥

In between today tomorrow, jungle home be,

Above plowed and the cattle but grazing be.

42

आज काल के लोग हैं, मिलि कै बिछुरी जाहिं।

लाहा कारण आपने, सौगन्ध राम कि खाहिं॥

Todays persons, meet one day then parted be,

But for gains presently, swear on Ram foolishly.

43

आज काल दिन पाँच में, बरस पाँच जुग पंच।

जब तब साधू तारसी, और सकल परपंच॥

In todays world, lost in the five vices of body,

Only sage helps cross, rest but delusion be.

44

आजहु तेरा सब मिटय, जो मानय गुरुन सीख।

जब लग तु घर मे रहै, मति कहु मांगे भीख॥

Agony ends today if with Guru’s teachings agree,

Seek not alms anywhere, till a householder be.

45

आठ पहर यूहें गया, माया मोह जंजाल।

राम नाम हृदय नहीं, जीत लिया जम काल॥

Total life passes, ignorance bound, delusion only,

Ram not in heart and life won by God of death be.

46